The Video That Sparked Internet Outrage
In a video recording viewed by over 15,000 social media users, a mother expressed her displeasure over her daughter’s school authorities. According to the mom, her daughter’s school banned her from attending a school dance because she missed too many school days.
Source: Getty Images
The school authorities claimed the banishment was not done to target her daughter specifically, as others who did not attend a specific number of school days were also banned from the dance.
Confronting The Authorities
The recording showed the mother speaking with the school administrators. She told them her daughter had informed her that she was not allowed to attend her 8th-grade dance because she missed school that day.
Source: Pinterest
One of the administrators was heard in a response saying, “Kids that don’t come to school, they can’t go to the dance.” Also, because her daughter had missed over a half day at school, it counted as an absence on that particular day.
The School’s Rules And Regulations
According to the school, they have strict rules and regulations regarding school attendance and after-school activities.
Source: Getty Images
Although they stated that their hands were tied and would not bend the rules to accommodate the disabled child, the mother felt differently and believed they could have empathized with the child and let her have fun with her peers for one night.
Medical Evidence To Support Claims
The mother, who was infuriated, showed documents from medical professionals that confirmed her daughter’s disability. Her young daughter had endured lots of chemotherapy, leaving her ill and hurt for years.
Source: Pinterest
This prevented her from attending school like an average student, and she would mostly participate in a half day of school. This resulted in a record number of absent days.
More Evidence Surfaces
Due to her daughter’s disability, the mother obtained an individualized education program (IEP). An IEP is a document under US law for disabled children attending public schools.
Source: Twitter
The document enables a disabled child diagnosed with a disability to obtain an individualized educational program specially curated for the child. The IEP gives support and aids the child in learning under favorable conditions and prevents stressing the child further.
Educational Requirements For Special Needs Children
The parents and authorities at the school work together to create a plan that works for the child to meet their specific educational needs. Also, having such documents means modified school hours for the disabled child.
Source: Twitter
They are not required to be in school for a full day and are granted permission when their health prevents them from attending an entire day.
The Insensitive Response
When her mother told school authorities her daughter could not attend classes that day because the young student had a health issue resulting from chemotherapy medications, one of the administrators replied, saying she should have come to school as she wasn’t contagious.
Source: Getty Images
Many who commented on the TikTok post saw the response as insensitive.
The School Rules Can Be Bent
As the arguments between the mother and school administrators continued in the recording, the mother believed her daughter was being treated unfairly. On the other hand, the school administrators would not bend their rules to accommodate the disabled daughter.
Source: Getty Images
The administrators believed that since she could not make it to school for a full day due to her illness, she should not be available for the school dance.
A Disability Should Not Prevent Inclusivity
The mother repeatedly said her daughter was mistreated because of her disability. According to the mother, all students should be granted access to the 8th-grade dance.
Source: Pinterest
She also mentioned that her daughter’s illness typically affects her mornings, making it difficult to make it to school on time. The mother also told them they could accommodate her daughter if they wanted to.
Administrators Refused To Bend The Rules
At the end of the video, it appeared that the school administrators were determined to stand behind their decision. The mom also asked the administrators to give a note of dismissal from the school dance, but they refused her request.
Source: Pinterest
According to her caption, the lack of empathy the administrators showed to her daughter was unreal. Even though she had all the medical evidence showing her daughter’s disability, they still refused to permit her to the school dance.
The Wrong Logic
The administrators continued to hold on to the fact that her child was not specifically targeted, and other students were also banned from attending the school dance.
Source: Getty Images
The mother added, “People like this should not hold any power, and they certainly have no business in education! They need different jobs that allow them to be the robots they are, completely heartless individuals!”
Light At The End Of The Tunnel
Finally, after what seemed like an impossible mission, the school permitted the child to partake in the 8th-grade school dance. The mother posted that someone was able to convince them, and thankfully, her child attended the school dance.
Source: Pinterest
She added that she posted the recording to expose the discrimination against her disabled daughter.
Shared Experiences Flood The Comment Section
On the TikTok post, many users have shown support and encouraged the mom. Some with similar experiences of discrimination have shared theirs as well.
Source: Getty Images
While it is important to follow the rules and regulations as an educational body, it is also important to be sympathetic toward certain situations, such as the case of the disabled daughter. She did not need her stress to be compounded.
A Side Note
Many are happy the daughter got to experience a happier ending, which resulted from her mother fighting on her behalf.
Source: Pinterest
It helps promote inclusivity when all students are encouraged to participate in their school’s social activities. It also relieves the stress of their physical or mental health conditions.